Red Bulls, Red Bulls II, soccer

Red Bulls II Fall at Home to Tampa Bay, LaCava Scores Screamer

Friday August 5th was a pitch-perfect night for soccer at MSU Soccer Park on the campus of Montclair State University for a USL Championship match between two Atlantic Division rivals, Tampa Bay and New York Red Bulls II.

Less fans came out to see the Baby Red Bulls than would have during normal circumstances. However the Red Bulls II fans came out in decent numbers to see their boys take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Red Bulls II Lineup

  • Luca Lewis - GK
  • DEF- Pendant- Tombul - Zajec - Castillo
  • MID: LaCava- Edelman- Rafanello- Williams
  • FWD: Sowe and Ngoma

The Red Bulls II Head coach John Wolyniec started two 16-year-olds tonight. They were midfelder, Sam Williams and forward, Serge Ngoma, who had made seven appearances going into Friday's game. It was a great opportunity for the Red Bulls Academy products to show what they are capable of doing against much older players.

Red Bulls II Strike First

The Baby Red Bulls got an early goal from Jake LaCava. The Connecticut-native is second on the team in goals and assists this year. Harrison, New Jersey's Omar Sowe playing striker in this game, showed good reaction speed to intercept a pass in the eighth minute. Sowe then lobbed a pass to LaCava who made a strong move around a defender inside the box and unleashed a cracking strike that whizzed past the diving goalkeeper to give Red Bull an 1-0 lead.

Thanks to a play that showed strong instincts and chemistry from the Red Bulls II offense, the home fans had something to cheer about at the 10-minute mark.

Fast forward to the 25th minute of this game and Tampa Bay's striker Adebayo-Smith would earn his first scoring opportunity. Smith dribbled past Red Bulls II defender Kyle Zajec and took a right-footed shot that missed just wide of outstretched arms of goalkeeeper, Luca Lewis. Five minutes later the Rowdies had a corner kick. The cross came in to Forrest Lasso, who headed it back to the front of the net, where Adebayo-Smith headed it into the net, tying the game at one.

Second Half Woes

In the 46th minute, a long ball was played into the Red Bulls two half where defender Emir Tombul had trouble collecting the ball. So, Adebayo Smith took possession and went in on a breakaway. Goalkeeper, Lewis rushed Smith and forced him to take a shot which the young goalkeeping talent made a brilliant save on, to bail out his defender, Tombul, who has played responsibly all season long.

The Rowdies scored the go-ahead goal when Max Lachowecki dove and headed a cross in, past Lewis and gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead. In the 65th minute, Red Bulls II midfielder Jeremy Rafanello rang a shot from the center of the top of the 18 yard box off the post. It whizzed back out, which shows how well the 21-year-old who leads the team in assists struck the ball. However, the Red Bulls could not tie the game up and instead lost a second straight game to fall to 3-8-4 on the season.

Takeaways from Hard Home Loss

The positives to take away from Friday night's 2-1 loss was again, progress was made. Two 16-year-olds made their first starts against a quality team and that bodes well for the future of the Red Bulls organization. Williams and Serge Ngoma are just two more products that came from the Red Bulls Academy, that produced Austin FC's Jared Stroud.

Biggest thing that was just in the second half we didn't respond. We didn't come out quickly, and we look over the 90, they get two on set pieces, we get one from the run of play. So it's frustrating, but I think there were a lot of positives, lot of good performances from guys. 

The man who scored tonight's first goal is Jake LaCava, who spoke to the media about what scoring tonight felt like.

"I know the type of player I am and the things I'm capable of. I know that the past few games I should have been finishing my chances," LaCava said. "going into this game, I think my mind was just focused on really clean touches and decisive decision making in front of goal, and you know I made that happen tonight.

Coach discussed what he saw from Williams and Ngoma, who made their first start in this game.

Sam's a guy that we valued in our academy," Wolyniec said. "He reminds me a lot of Edelman; Hard-worker, intelligent, good on the ball. It was a lot to ask for him to [play] 90 [minutes] today, but he handled it pretty well especially for a 16 year old."

The Red Bulls won the possession battle against Tampa Bay 57 - 43 percent but at the end of the day, defense wins games and the Red Bulls II defense, meaning their entire team no one player, failed to compete hard enough to keep a hot Tampa Bay Rowdies team from stealing momentum on their first goal which was a third chance opportunity on a header, which left their goalkeeper out to dry.

The Red Bulls II will next play Charlotte Independence on August 10th, at MSU Soccer Park. Red Bull have beaten Charlotte twice this season, the first a 3-1 victory, the team's first at home, then 3-2 on July 8th. Red Bulls best offensive players have feasted on Charlotte's defense this season. Jeremy Rafanello leads the team with three goals against Charlotte, while LaCava and Sowe each have a goal and assist, each. 

The last time Baby Red Bull played Charlotte at home, there was pushing and shoving at midfield. Will that be repeated on August 10? We will anxiously await what ESPN + or a seat at MSU Soccer Park has in store for RED BULLS NATION. 

Anthony Paradiso
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